The History of the Paladins
Here, in the Archives in Coruscant lies the History of the Paragon Paladins. The information here lying in these holocrons tell the story of what has happened thus far, before the Battle for the Galaxy finally begins. Here is our Story... Chapter 1: The Treaty Coruscant had been sacked and the Senate breached. The speed of the Sith’s assault had proven the Galactic Military was unable to respond effectively to sudden threats. The Republic was in turmoil. There was no choice, but to accept the Empire’s proposal. With the Treaty signed, the Sith proved how cunning they really were. Using the newly forged doctrine, they fought the Republic in the Courts as well as on the Battlefield and at every opportunity. Hiding behind legislation, they systematically destroyed the Senate’s fragile reputation. Even the smallest infractions were exaggerated to interstellar level. And all the while, they were ignoring the legislation themselves. When challenged, they claimed treachery or Republic propaganda, and if ever presented with indisputable evidence, they conducted fruitless ‘internal enquiries’. The Republic divided. Sympathisers, brainwashed by the Sith’s lies, flocked to the Empire’s banner and those that remained loyal were demoralised. The Senate had thought that peace, any peace, was better than none, but now they found themselves cornered. Having spurned the wisdom of the Jedi long ago, blaming them for the attack on Coruscant, the politicians were reduced to squabbling and arguing amongst themselves. The Senate convened more times in three months following the signing of the Treaty of Coruscant than it had in an entire decade. Convened and achieved nothing. Then one day, after a particularly chaotic meet, the Representative of Tython, returned to his office and found a non-descript datapad on his desk. Confused and wary at the apparent breach of security, he activated the device. What he found was a proposal to the Senate’s problem. It would not be easy and would require a lot of work, but it showed promise. The concept was radical: the creation of a unique military unit able to operate independently. Free of the normal bureaucracy stifling other sections of the military, it could patrol the Galactic Republic unhindered whilst identifying and eliminating enemy threats. The Senate was extremely sceptical of anything that they couldn’t control and so it was not received well. However, their inaction up to this point meant public opinion was at an all time low. Fearing for their positions more than anything else, the Paragon Initiative was passed by a majority vote three days later. Chapter 2: The Paragon Initiative With the initiative passed, the stage was set for the creation of the Military’s new Paragon unit. It would not be an easy achievement. To be both functional and inspirational, the Senate could leave nothing to chance. Their hopes of stabilising the Republic and disrupting the Sith’s plans rested solely on this. Top engineers and designers were called in from every corner of the Republic to develop the cutting edge equipment and vehicles the Paragon required. No expense was spared. In the meantime lawyers and politicians spent weeks penning the Paragon Charter. It needed to be perfect. After launch the Paragon would be free to govern itself and almost entirely beyond their control. The Senate’s sudden action caught the Empire by surprise and they had not noticed the slowly changing public opinion. Although the people of the Republic were still sceptical of the Senate, they were inspired by their leaders’ dedication and belief. The Sith tried to intervene, claiming a violation of the Treaty, but nothing in the legislation restricted the Republic from developing new technology, or reorganising its military. After failing in the Courts, they tried increasing their attacks, only to be met by a rallied Galactic Republic and utter defiance. As production started on the Paragon’s Flagship, so began the intense, unforgiving recruitment process. More important than anything was loyalty. Sith spies were everywhere and if the Paragon was comprimised there would be no recourse. During the months that followed there were numerous attempts by the Empire to destroy or disrupt the initiative. Many became concerned by the apparent ease at which these agents infiltrated the Republic, but it was not all bad news. A lot of the assassins were intercepted by an organisation that excelled at counter-intelligence. The Jedi Order had been mysteriously absent since the Senate’s accusations against them. However, as the project progressed, they became ever more important to its safety. This went a long way towards closing the rift between them and the Senate. It made the politicians realise their potential and opened the way for their recruitment into the Paragon. Eventually obstacles were overcome and the quota filled. With The Honour waiting in the Docks, all that remained was to find a Captain. There were many candidates for the job, ranging from famous war heroes to expert tacticians. None, however, expected the man who was finally chosen. In an unusually daring and insightful move, inspired by ever increasing public opinion, the Senate decided that they should have a fresh, new face lead the Paragon. Nihlas Kain was part of a unit conducting an airborn reconnaisance of the Frozen world of Csilla. However, their ship was saboutaged and massive engine failure caused it to crash into the icy wastes below. Throughout the night the survivors fought off wave after wave of furious, bloodthirsty beasts until a rescue transport arrived some eight hours later. Nihlas' heroic actions and leadership that night saved many lives against overwhelming odds. This caught the attention of the Senate who then promoted him and officialised the nickname earnt that day. General Nihlas 'Nexus' Kain led The Honour out of its docking bay for the first time, three years to the day after the signing of the Treaty of Coruscant. As the launch was celebrated throughout the Republic - the Senate held their breath, hoping they had not made a very big mistake... Chapter 3: The Dissolution Victory did not come easily to the Paragon. It was something the Senate noticed all too quickly and they hounded General Nexus. They berated him constantly for the unit’s lacklustre performances. Missions were undertaken and missions were achieved, but the losses, the accidents, the mishaps – they were worse than anticipated…much worse. The unit not only under performed in expectation, but it was queried whether they actually performed worse than an ordinary unit. Though the cause was obvious to those who stopped to consider it, the politicians, ever eager to throw blame, were infuriated by what they saw as lazy and incompetent leadership. The pressure they put on the General was unrelenting and unwarranted. The young soldier, who had been thrown into his position of responsibility, considered resigning his command on more than one occasion. Luckily his strength of character won out and the Initiative remained intact. The real problems for the Paragon stemmed not from the leadership, but from the crew itself. Indeed it is now widely believed that, had it not been for the many clever strategies employed by General Kain at the time, very few missions would have been successful at all. In the end it was simple confusion that was to blame. The crew had been drafted from all over the Republic, taken from their units, their homes, from the lives they knew and dumped into a weird ship with hundreds of strangers. Not only was The Honour full of the latest technology, which most had never seen before, but the crew themselves had brought different trends and techniques with them from their previous detachments. Problems arose through communication breakdowns and general oversights. These could have been avoided had the Senate delayed the deployment of the unit, given them a chance to train in the new technologies, let them outgrow old habits and develop a rapport with each other. But, as always, they refused to take responsibility. Eventually the unit reached its breaking point, its moment of sink or swim. The burden fell to General Nexus to devise a solution or the Senate would take control of the Paragon, reducing it to little more than a glorified police station. After much deliberation he chose an extreme solution. The Dissolution, as it came to be called, split the Paragon in half. Those soldiers, Jedi and other crew members who had proven themselves were singled out, promoted into a new division within the Paragon called ‘The Paladins’. Loyal, skilled and reliable, they became the forefront of the Paragon’s offensive. Those left behind were called ‘The Guard’. This caused a lot of dissent amongst the crew. Those in the Guard felt they had been unfairly relegated to an inferior division. However, General Kain was adamant and his decision final. Any that did not accept the new arrangement were simply expelled from the Paragon. At the time the Guard was intended to train crew members until they were ready to be promoted into the Paladin ranks. But it quickly became apparent that many were simply not capable of performing at the level the General demanded. The Paragon and the Guard naturally drifted apart and eventually became two distinct sub-sections which remain to this day. It is still possible for members of the Guard to be promoted to Paladin status, but the individual must prove themselves worthy in extraordinary circumstances. After The Dissolution the Paragon unit saw a dramatic improvement in its performance. As time went on, it continued to develop and soon became a very real thorn in the Sith Empire’s side. Countless incursions and assaults were intercepted and foiled. Within a couple of years the Paragon had become a household name and its Paladins were praised throughout the Republic. Coincidentally, the Senate also developed a sense of responsibility, claiming themselves accountable for the unit’s success. Chapter 4: Glory During the next four years the Paragon continued to flourish. Its fame spread and recruits poured in from all over the Galaxy. The Honour brimmed to bursting. For every Paladin or Guard that fell there were three more waiting to take his or her place. There was no reprieve. The Paragon was relentless. It had become an army unto itself. Amongst the highest ranking Paladins were General Kain’s two Commanders. These individuals were Nexus’ most trusted advisers. Tried and tested, proven a hundred times over, they were battle-hardened, experienced and fiercely loyal. The Jedi Knights, Commander Raz Lioen and Commander Kar-Dala Kenobi had risen through the ranks in an incredibly short space of time. Both still comparatively young, they echoed the potential that Nexus himself had shown over nine years earlier. Although the Senate remained suspicious of Jedi, they could neither overrule the General, nor deny the Commanders’ abilities. Under their command the Paragon continued to devastate the Empire assaults. Its every victory was an insult to the enemy and it tormented them dearly. For centuries the Sith had been taught to despise the Republic. It was weak, insignificant…worthless - a thing to be broken and enslaved. And yet here it was – at every juncture, every turning point, every opportunity, always the same: blocking, disrupting antagonising and…winning. It seemed nothing could be done against these champions. Chapter 5a: Hatred Unleashed Eventually, though something had to give and, in the end, The Paragon became a victim of its own success. It was not just famous in the Republic, but infamous in the Empire. Along with the technologies and elite soldiers packed into The Honour, it became an irresistible target. The attack came very suddenly and with almost perfect timing, when a series of apparently unconnected events almost led to the General and both Commanders being simultaneously absent from the ship. Whilst Commander Lieon had been granted shore leave to commune with his Masters on Tython, The Honour received an unusual transmission from an isolated colony. Commander Kenobi and a small detachment of troops were despatched to investigate. General Kane then received a summons from The Senate. It was the only real power they had over him and one they seemed to exercise at every possible opportunity, almost as if to reaffirm themselves of their own importance. According to the Charter, the General had to answer any summons they issued. Luckily, Commander Lieon attended to his personal matters quickly and returned to The Honour ahead of schedule. A short time after docking, his presence was requested in engineering. Therein he was presented with a small, carefully cut crystal. Many Jedi were stationed aboard The Honour. Their ability to use the force gave them many distinct advantages over other candidates. Consequently there were also many Lightsabers aboard. These tools hold deep significance to the Jedi, whose indoctrination into Knighthood relies partly on being able to create one. As significant as the item its self, is the colour of the ‘blade’ it creates. There is a whole spectrum to choose from and all can be found in use throughout the Order. All, except one. Blood red beams are the symbol of one lost to emotion and ambition, one who has forsaken the code, one who is Sith. The crystal handed to Commander Lieon would produce a beam of the darkest crimson. Despite being weary from his trip, the importance of this find was too great for the Commander to ignore. Unaware that the General was on his way to Coruscant, Lieon headed to Kain’s quarters to discuss its possible implications. It is unclear why the invaders chose to reveal themselves at this point. Perhaps the Commander stumbled upon them by accident, perhaps it was part of some despicable plan, or perhaps, as the Jedi Masters would have it, it was the will of the force. But for whatever reason, upon entering the General’s room Lieon found himself face to face with the corrupted figure of a Sith Lord. The tall, powerfully built creature cast a shadow the Commander knew all too well. In the moments that followed Lieon’s mastery over his own emotions was stretched to breaking point. He had to fight with every ounce of his willpower to control the violent urges welling up inside him. Here stood the monster that had murdered his master so many years before. Breaking free of his tormentor, Lieon escaped, raised the alarm and fled into the Troopers’ barracks. The Claxon erupted throughout the ship and within moments the Paragon was mobilised. In the ensuing frenzy Republicans located many Sith Troops and the hidden enemy was forced to act. Fighting broke out. The Honour resonated with sounds of warfare across all of its levels. Explosions tore through the corridors, as fires engulfed whole sections of the ship and smoke covered the rest. Blaster fire rained down on friend and foe alike. Screams of the injured and dying rang out from every direction. The blood of enemies flowed together. The slaughter had begun... Chapter 5b: Defiance The battle raged for hours, long into the night. Many brave and valiant soldiers fell. Caught off guard and shocked by the massive breach of security, many of the Republic’s best met an unjust end. All seemed lost. The Empire would win and The Honour would be claimed by enemy hands. The Sith, who had taken the Communications room early, jammed Paragon transmissions. Isolated and outmanoeuvred, the scattered pockets of resistance prepared to fight to their last breaths. Then - at the darkest - a flicker of light. The Jedi Knight and Commander, Raz Lioen had recovered from his fatigue and, gripped with grim determination, forged forward into the fray. The Lion was accompanied by a hitherto unknown Guardsman. Skurrow, a Trooper of questionable skill and even less self-esteem accidentally found himself under the Command of the highest ranking Paladin currently aboard The Paragon Flagship. Having made their way through the Guards’ Barracks by way of infrequently used corridors, they arrived at Hanger Bay A1, fresh and ready for battle. Within they discovered a handful of Paladin’s valiantly holding back waves of Sith Agents. The loyal pair worked together to break the enemy’s stranglehold and liberate the defiant detachmentbefore leading them deeper into The Honour. Elsewhere aboard the ship, another Paladin and his two companions made further advancements. Desric Drayson, a veteran of many battles and close personal friend to the Paragon’s Commanders, had been in engineering with his Twi’lek consort when the invasion began. Adding the finishing touches to his newest droid, the soldier was extremely annoyed by the sudden interruption. Together they fought their way to the droid storage bay, wherein Drayson was able to activate the Paragon’s fleet of mousebots. Using these simple droids to carry messages along their maintenance hatches, they bypassed the Sith’s jamming signals and restored a semblance of communication to the stalwart republicans. The emergence of the mousebot network led to realisation amongst the remaining pockets of resistance that they weren’t alone. Morale rocketed and the ship rallied. With renewed heart they fought back and, through superior skill, began to turn the tide. It was about this time that Commander Kar-dala Kenobi concluded his diplomatic assignment. He boarded The Curator, one of the Paragon’s cruisers, and set sail for home. The Curator, was an ingeniously designed vehicle: a huge cruiser-class ship capable of being piloted by a skeleton crew. It only required the Commander and one other Paladin to operate at full capacity. With the new, albeit rudimentary, messaging system in place, Commander Lioen was able to issue orders to survivors all over the ship. Those able were to make their way to the bridge and regroup for a counter-attack, whilst he headed towards the communications room. A few Guardsmen made it to the Bridge early on, but found themselves leaderless. Without proper orders, anarchy broke out. The noise attracted the attention of the Sith Lord and his honour-guard, tasked with co-ordinating the assault on The Honour. They were drawn from the General’s quarters by the promise of an easy slaughter. Reaching the bridge swiftly, they set upon the Guards, who offered little resistance against such power. As the blood-letting commenced, another figure slipped into the room. The Sith Lord, blinded by bloodlust did not notice his honour-guard falling, one by one. When he finally realised something was amiss, it was already too late – they were all dead. Frantically he sought the cause of their demise and found an unremarkable figure looking back at him. The Jedi Knight and Paladin, Orion Centrus remained cool, calm and collected in the face of his adversary. On even grounds the Sith Lord outmatched him, but here it stood no chance. Fearing the combined might of the Jedi Knight and Paragon Guards the Sith Lord fled, allowing Orion to secure the bridge. The Sith retreated to the General's quarters. He had been forced to retreat, but the assault was still going according to plan. As The Curator forged its way through Hyperspace, Commander Kenobi, jumped out of his seat. His mind was racing, alive, fresh. It had never raced before...where was the troubled thoughts from his past that forever clouded him? Where was the anguish caused by the Dark Sith he called father? Suddenly, for the first time, it was gone. Free from these bonds, his mind felt lighter, more alert than it had ever done before. There could only be one reason: somewhere, somehow his father had been killed. He had never felt so at ease - he was liberated, born again and he buzzed with vibrant energy. Meanwhile Commander Lioen’s unit had taken heavy losses during their assault on the Communications Room. Only two of the Troopers still survived and one of those was in critical condition. Skurrow tended to him as best he could whilst further in and out-of-sight, the Lion of Dorin defiantly faced off against two Sith Warriors. One, a barely sentient slavering brute, could hardly restrain itself as the other, a short, purple-skinned female, playfully conversed with the Jedi. Eventually, its blood-hunger became too much to take and the beast charged Lieon. The hideous abomination, deformed by the dark-side, moved with unnatural speed. It attacks were a blur of red, neon light, which hummed like a swarm of Geonosian soldiers. Sighing, the second Sith also lept into the frey. Despite their opposite personalities, or perhaps because of it, the Siths’ attacks synchronised perfectly. The Commander drew on everything he had, but was unable to defy both of them. He was driven back until he found himself in a corner with nowhere to run. As blow after blow rained down, his legs buckled and he fell to ground. The brute then sent his Lightsaber skidding across the floor, with a mighty 2-handed swipe. Both Sith grinned as they raised their sabres for a final strike on The Lion. The Curator dropped out of Hyperspace just off of the Honour's starboard bow and was instantly engulfed in by a flood of Sith fighters, which had arrived during the night and surrounded the Paragon’s flagship. The enemy ships' precence startled Commander Kenobi, but his new found freedom had sharpened his mind. The cruiser’s shields were up even before the first blaster bolts struck. Unleashing The Curator’s ''barrage of weaponry, he startled to whittle a path through the horde of enemy vessels. As the fighters scattered off in all directions, one was knocked off course and sent crashing into ''The Honour. The vibration resonated throughout much of the ship and Lioen's two would be murderers were forced to halt their assault or risk falling. Seizing the moment, the Lion of Dorin summoned his lightsaber back to his hand, ignited it, and struck the brute down. Before the creature had even hit the floor, the experienced Jedi then threw a wall of force towards his accomplice, flinging her light frame high into the air. She crashed into the wall some thirty feet away just as his lightsaber sailed into her. Panting heavily, Lieon caught his saber and stumbled over to the communications console. He just managed to deactivated the jamming program. before passing out. Chapter 5c: End Game Sensing the death’s of his two fellow Sith and realising the communications room was lost, the Lord contacted his Master for help. Though The Curator continued to blast through the Sith ships, it soon started to succumb to their greater numbers. Here and there blaster bolts scarred the hull as its shields began to flicker under the strain. Commander Kenobi changed tactics, throwing the Cruiser forward he crashing through the fighters in front, whilst focusing fire on the flanking enemy craft. The Sith Lord cowered under his Master’s anger when, suddenly, the signal failed. Cut off and alone the Lord desperately beat his communication device to try and re-establish a connection, but nothing happened. Then after a few minutes he heard a quiet beeping sound. He looked down to the source and found a small red light flashing on his belt. The belt had been a gift from his Master and a new dread overcame him. He fought desperately to remove it, but it was locked tight around his waist. Finally he fell to his knees, pleading for redemption before the explosive tore through his body and a large part of the ship. The bridge shook. Orion quickly accessed The Honour’s diagnostics programs and found similar explosions erupting all over the ship. Like some hideous disease, The Honour ''was being destroyed from the inside out. There was no doubt now – everyone was doomed. A call came out to Commander Kenobi from his companion. A new addition to the Paladins, Sarcoex had accompanied the Jedi as part of his induction training. He had realised The Honour’s communications were back up quickly established contact with the bridge. Kenobi relayed ''the Honour's ''command codes via Sarcoex, and Orion was able to bring the ship's automated turrets online. Fiery death rained down on the Sith fleet. Now alerted to the fact communications were back up, Orion ordered all surviving Paladins and Guards to abandon ship. All throughout the ship, Paladins and guards headed to the nearest escape pods, including those in the Comms room. Skurrow had recovered Commander Lioen’s body and dragging the two unconscious Paladins behind him safely escaped the dying ship. By now there were too many troops aboard the bridge to be accommodated all available escape pods. As many as possible were saved, leaving Orion and a number of Troopers behind. As The Honour’s hull began to disintegrate, Commander Kenobi proposed a radical solution. Orion quickly put on a space suit and sealed the bridge's bulkheads, effectively entombing all within in an airtight container. Sarcoex hurried to the transport ship in The Curator’s docking bay and Kenobi primed all weaponry. Meanwhile, Orion lowered what remained of ''The Honour’s ''shields and Kenobi unleashed a storm of blaster fire into the front of the bridge, tearing it open. Orion, with his space-suit and the Troopers, temporarily protected by their armour, were sucked out into space. It was a desperate bid, but somehow Sarcoex managed to recover all of the Paragon soldiers with only minor injuries. Kenobi picked up the transport, laden with Troopers and a Paladin, then manoeuvred the cruiser to a safe distance. Together he, Orion, Sarcoex and the Guards watched in quiet despair as the Honour finally broke apart with its pieces drifting off slowly amid a million silent explosions. Although it is impossible to know for certain, reports suggest that not a single Paragon life was lost after the order to evacuate was given. Chapter 6: Resurrection The destruction of ''The Honour sent shockwaves throughout the Republic. To many it represented the death of the Paragon. Someone had to be held accountable for the loss of so many lives and such a massive investment. The Senate chose Nihlas as their scapegoat. Blaiming him for ‘abandoning his post,’ ‘allowing Sith invaders to board The Honour’ and ‘not foreseeing the attack’ they publicly court-marshalled him, stripped him of his rank and forced him out of the military. His last act as the Paragon leader was to name Raz Lioen, the Lion of Dorin, as his successor. Despite his fate, General Nihlas ‘Nexus’ Kain, is still honoured amongst the surviving Guards and Paladins as a true hero and recognised as father to the Paragon. Those that survived the assault were changed forever. To have had, and lost, so much caused scars which ran more than skin deep. The Senate’s last gift to them, before it pulled its backing, was an old run down frigate, once due to be decommissioned, now to serve as their new flagship. Repaired and adapted to the best of their ability, The Righteous Hand has become a mirror of its crew’s grim determination and unyielding grit. Along with The Curator and its sister ship, The Pelori, The Paragon is far from finished. Now, ten years after the signing of the Treaty, the Paragon is barely spoken of by most of the Galaxy. They believe it to be a glory from another time and best not mentioned. But to those that serve, to those who continue the fight, to those that know better, it is still a thorn in the Empire’s side, only now it twists on the way out. Summary Chapter After signing of the Treaty of Coruscant, skirmish battles against the Sith continued. These small encounters were used by the Sith to put pressure on the republic both during the assaults and after in the courts. The Military did the best it could to fend against the attacks, but it was bogged down by legislation. Feeling the the confidence of the people slipping, the Senate searched for a solution. The answer came from an unknown source when a Senator conveniently stumbled across a detailed proposition. Thus, The Paragon was founded. A uniquely designed, elite military unit that would operate outside normal chains of command. Due to the unique way it was managed, an extremely able and loyal soldier was required to lead it. Nihlas 'Nexus' Kain was chosen. Stories of his recent heroic actions on the frozen moon of Csilla inspired the Senate and they promptly promoted him to General and gave him his first command - The Paragon Flagship, The Honour. The Paragon was officially launched amid thunderous applause, however it had many teething troubles. Over the years General Kain made many changes to the Paragon structure, including dividing it into two parts: The Guard and The Paladins. After this 'Dissolution,' the unit began to operate more and more effectively until, at its peak, the Sith Empire considered it to be one of the greatest single threats to its invasion of the Republic. In fact, so great was this threat that the Sith devised a plan to end the entire unit once and for all. Over nine years since the signing of the Treaty, the three highest ranking officers aboard the Paragon's Flagship became mysteriously absent at the same time. Then the Sith struck. It appears their initial plan was to take the Honour as a prize, but the skill and determination of the soldiers aboard the Paragon, coupled with the timely return of two of its Commanders, Raz Lioen and Kar'dala Kenobi, made that impossible. In a final, desperate bid, the Sith then scuttled the starship by setting off thousands of small charges. The Honour was destroyed, but the bravery of both Commanders saved many lives. The loss of the Honour was a huge blow to the Senate who had invested a lot of money into the unit. This led to General Kain being court-marshalled and leadership of the Paragon passed to Commander Lioen. The Senate then provided the Paragon with an old frigate The Righteous Hand to use as its 'new' flagship before they finally withdrew their backing. Today, despite being a shadow of its former self, the Paragon continues to challenge the Sith Empire on a daily basis, even as it searches for soldiers to replace the hundreds of lives it lost.